Annual Food Permit

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DOACS) requires any facility manufacturing, processing, packing, holding or preparing food, or selling food at wholesale or retail in Florida must have an annual food permit.

The DOACS defines a seafood processor as follows: "A processor of fresh or saltwater finfish, crustaceans, other forms of aquatic animal life (including, but not limited to, alligator, frog, aquatic turtle, jellyfish, sea cucumber and sea urchin and the roe of such animals) other than birds or mammals, and all mollusks, where such animal life is intended for human consumption, primarily for wholesale distribution."

A seafood market is defined as a retail store engaged primarily in the sale of seafood. A limited number of other foods may be stocked, but inventory and sales are predominantly fish, crustaceans, or shellfish.

You must obtain a permit from the DOACS to process food for sale to the public.